The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. (Matt. 13:24-25) Jesus paints a picture of a beautiful wheat field, which was spoiled by an enemy. Coming into the…
You know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thess. 2:11-12) The Marlboro Man and Michelob weekends represent the manhood of a biblical father about as…
Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. (Heb. 12:28) Press Secretary Tony Snow was fifty-three when he died. Snow, a Christian, had terminal cancer while in office under President George W. Bush. Despite his affliction, Snow was…
Most Christians spend their working lives hoping that God will find some way to use their labor for his priorities. They pray that he will provide some real connection between their daily grind and the eternal glory of his purposes. But they need help to know the connection between Sunday’s worship and Monday’s work. An…
The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand. (Isaiah 14:24) The nightly news can discourage us with accounts of violent crime, social injustice, natural calamity, viral disease, global terrorism, and human foolishness. Evil is real, but it never thwarts God’s ultimate purpose….
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Rom. 5:3-5) When we’re facing a challenge, our tendency is…
When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. (Dan. 6:10) How would you define courage? …
We long for more. We are constantly told there is more. Spiritual Formation practices are often sold as a perfect solution, until we realize that we bring our fallible selves along for the ride. I want to discuss the problems our selves pour into the journey of Spiritual Formation. Then I will offer a vantage…
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:31-32) One of my pastorates was in a rugged…
The Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. (John 10:17-18) Christ came to earth with his death in mind. The cross wasn’t a surprise ending. His heart of all-consuming love did…